Better With You Gone
by jayhogartismyangel
Summary: Twelve years ago, KC Guthrie abandoned a pregnant Jenna Middleton. Now, he gets a call from an old friend, telling him that Jenna is dead and his eleven year old son, Evan is without a parent. Will KC give up the life he knows to do right by his son?
1. Prologue: Dead End Call

**Better With You Gone**

**Summary: Twelve years ago, KC Guthrie abandoned a pregnant Jenna Middleton. Now, he gets a call from an old friend, telling him that Jenna is dead and his eleven year old son, Evan is without a parent. Will KC abandon his rich and famous, professional athlete life and step up to the plate?**

**Couples/Pairings: Past Kenna, EClare, KC/Bianca, some KC/OC, Adam/Fiona, Alli/Drew, Kyle/OC**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or any of it's characters, I do however own Evan Middleton, Alicia Goldsworthy, Amy Bennet, and Cara Middleton.**

**Prologue: Dead End Call**

KC Guthrie let out a loud whoop as he hugged his teammates. They'd won the basketball game. Of course, the Cheetahs were unbeatable with him on the team. A smirk played upon his face as his girlfriend, Amy Bennet ran up to him in her skimpy little cheerleading uniform and threw her slender arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his in a hard, hungry kiss. Her black ponytail swung to cover one shoulder as she did so and her dark blue eyes sparkled with lust as she pulled away to look at him.

No surprise there. If there was one thing that everyone knew for sure about Amy, it was that she loved her athletes. She was well known for dating or hooking up with half the guys on the basketball team before getting with KC.

"Let's get out of here." He said suggestively, as he pulled away from her as he waved his goodbyes to his buddies and the cheerleaders, tugging Amy along with him.

It didn't take long for Amy and KC to get back to the apartment and inside the door. KC pressed her slender body against it as his lips ravished her mouth before trailing down her neck. His left hand slipped under her tanktop while his other hand began to push up her short skirt. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist as he carried her to his bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes following him along the way.

He was awakened by the phone ringing a few hours later. Groaning, he reached an arm over a sleeping Amy and grabbed the phone. "Hello?" He greeted tiredly, wondering who it was that was calling so early. "KC, is that you?" A soft familiar voice-one that he hadn't heard since graduation, asked of him.

He sat up, his thick brows furrowing when he recognized that voice. "Clare?" He questioned, shocked. Why would she be calling him? They hadn't spoken in years. Not since graduation when Clare had tried to convince him for the last time to help Jenna out with their son, Evan. A few years ago, Clare had sent him an invitation, inviting him to the wedding between she and Elijah Goldsworthy. A wedding where Evan was the ringbearer, Alli was the maid of honor, and Darcy, Fiona, and Jenna were bride's maids. Needless to say, he didn't go and that was the last letter that anyone from his past had ever sent him. Until now.

"I'm glad you answered." There's something in her voice, something that he can't place. "There's something that I've got to tell you, and it's really important. It's about Jenna and Evan." She finished hesitantly, waiting to hear what he would say.

KC didn't answer her for a few minutes, hand squeezing the phone tightly to his ear. Did he really want to hear this? He had the perfect life now. Did he really want to drudge up memories of the past?

"KC are you still there?" The voice on the other end of the line asked worriedly. "This is something that you really need to know. I mean...I know you didn't want to be a part of Evan's life or anything but..." She trailed off, not saying anything else.

He grew curious. "But, what?" He asked of her as he sat up in the bed, leaning against the headboard.

At this, a sob escaped from Clare's throat and she said in a choked voice, "It's Jenna. She was suffering from cancer for a year and yesterday...yesterday, Eli and I had Evan at our house. We'd offered to watch him because Jenna wasn't feeling well. Anyway, we took Evan home a little bit after dinner and walked into her bedroom. Jenna wouldn't wake up. She died, KC. I just thought that you should know." She hung up without another word, eyes trailing over to the couch where Evan had fallen asleep. She smiled sadly. Even if KC didn't want to be a part of Evan's life, he still had her, Eli, Alli, Drew, Adam, Fiona, Kyle, Alicia, and Cara. They could never replace his mother, but they could help him through the loss of her.

KC stared at the phone, seemingly aware of the dial tone. He couldn't believe it. How could Jenna be dead?

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter: KC travels back to his hometown and is faced with some people who aren't so happy to see him. Meeting Evan.**


	2. Chapter One: Ghost of the Past

**Better With You Gone**

**Chapter One: Ghost of the Past**

KC stared at the two suitcases that rested on his king sized bed. They weren't packed, yet. He was still unsure if he really wanted to go back to his past. People were bound to be mad at him-Kyle and Alli, most likely. He knew that he was a coward. He'd known it since he'd left Jenna when she wouldn't get an abortion. Clare, Alli, and Jenna had tried to convince him multiple times to come see his son, when they were all still in school together and he'd ignored it all as he'd lived the high-life as a high-school basketball star and Mr. Popular. He hadn't been judged for Jenna's pregnancy. Not like she had. Infact, people seemed to see KC as so much of a "golden boy" that they'd just figured that Jenna had to have cheated for KC to dump her like that. If only. He was so lost in his thoughts that he jumped when two, slender arms wrapped around his waist and a warm, female body pressed against his back.

"What's with the suitcases, baby?" The person asked in a whisper-soft voice, pressing kisses down the side of his neck, before moving up a bit to nibble playfully at his ear.

KC smiled nervously as he turned in the arms of his girlfriend and put his hands on either side of her slim waist. "I've got to go on a trip." He told her simply.

Her dark blue eyes lit up with interest and she smirked at him. "Really?" She purred, hands sliding up to wrap loosely around his neck as she leaned in closer. "Well then maybe I should go with you." She ran her small hands suggestively down his chest, letting her fingers brush at the waistband of his jeans.

He swallowed hard at her question as he looked at her. She had a seductive look in her eye. The one that she knew made him give her anything that she wanted. Damn it! There was no way that he was going to get out of this! "Um...sure." He muttered in surrender.

Amy squealed and kissed him on the lips, bending down a little to pick up her purse from where it dropped on the floor. "I need to get home and pack my suitcase!" She said in a rush, hurrying out of the apartment.

KC guessed that his decision was made for him. With a reluctant sigh, he walked over to his dresser and began to pull out some clothes.

"Why are we sitting outside of a house, KC?" Amy questioned, arching a well-manicured eyebrow as she gazed at the house across from their car. It was a cute two story Victorian type of home with a fenced in yard and a tire swing hooked to a tree with a swing set across from it.

KC didn't answer her. He was too busy staring at the house that he knew to be Clare and Eli's. The place where his son was staying at for the time being. He swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening his car door and stepping outside.

Amy sighed and followed him out, running to catch up with him as he walked up the long driveway, up the steps of the porch and knocked on the door.

It took a few moments for anyone to answer it, but it suddenly swung open and KC and Amy came face with a little girl who looked about four or five. She had a mess of dark brown curls that fell around her shoulders, to her waist and big blue eyes. A few teeth were missing from her mouth and she wore a pretty pink, floral dress and had a fake tiara in her hair. Clare and Eli's daughter, without a doubt.

"Hi." She said to them, giving them a wide smile.

KC grinned back at her. "Hey. Is your mom home?" He asked of her, laughing a little bit as the girl nodded her head wildly, before turning to run torwards the entryway to some room, leaving the door wide open.

"MOMMY!" The little girl shouted loudly.

"Who are these people?" Amy murmured beside him, obviously not understanding what was going on at all.

Clare Goldsworthy appeared in the foyer moments later, walking up to the door. She smiled a little bit at the sight of her old friend and leaned in to give him a hug. "KC." She said warmly. "I'm glad that you decided to come." She pulled away and her eyes travelled over to the woman who stood beside him. Forcing a smile upon her pink lips, she reached out a small, pale hand. "Hello. I'm an old friend of KC's, Clare Goldsworthy."

"Amy Bennet." The raven haired woman said, sounding a little bit annoyed.

"Well why don't you two come in. Alli, Drew, Kyle, Cara, Adam, and Fiona are already here. And of course, you've already met my daughter, Alicia."

"Where's Evan?" KC asked of her softly.

Clare sighed sadly, blue eyes glimmering with tears. "He hasn't come out of his room since yesterday. The only one who is able to get through to him is Alicia. He really misses his mother, KC. She's the only parent that he knows. Or knew."

He looks away guiltily, feeling his face heat up at her silent accusation. Clare always knew just how to make a person feel bad, whether it be with words or her eyes. It was something that she was good at.

"What's taking so long?" A voice asked, the clicking of heels could be heard on the hardwood floor as Allia Bhandari-or Alli Torres stopped infront of them. Her dark eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the coward. Finally decided to show your face around here, did you?" She growled at him, crossing her arms just under her chest as she glared at him.

KC was about to reply when a noise on the steps caught their attention. Clare, Alli, Amy, and KC's eyes fell on the staircase where a boy with blond hair, covering his forehead and catlike green eyes stood.

Evan.

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter Two: Memories Hold Me Here

**Better With You Gone**

**Chapter Two: Memories Hold Me Here**

"Evan." Clare said with a small smile, looking at KC out of the corner of her eye for a moment before slowly walking torwards the staircase. She cupped his face in her hands and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead. "You hungry?" She asked. "There's some homemade soup in the kitchen on the stove."

Evan locked his shadowy green eyes on his godmother and gave her a watery smile and a nod of the head.

"I'll go get you some. You can eat it uin the playroom with Alicia." She told him, heading down the hall and walking into a room that KC and Amy presumed was the kitchen.

KC and Evan locked eyes for a few minutes in silence. Finally, Evan voiced the question that KC had been hoping that he wouldn't ask. "Who are you?"

He was saved from answering when Clare walked back in with a bowl and a spoon. Alicia stood beside her with a Cinderella bowl in her hands. The little girl skipped over to Evan and put her tiny hand in his, giving him a crooked little grin.

"Come on, Evan." Alicia, said as she tugged at his hand slightly.

Evan gave KC one last suspicious look before he turned on his heel, took the bowl from Clare and walked up the staircase with Alicia.

KC heaved out a relieved breath. "Thanks for that. I...I didn't know what to say to him."

Clare's eyes turned icy as she shrugged a slender shoulder. "I didn't do it for you." She said, coldly before she turned walked into the living room, indicating for KC and Amy to follow her.

Alli glared at the pair as she turned on a high-heeled foot and followed the tiny brunette.

KC tried to tug Amy along but she stood her ground and put her hands on her hips. "Are you ever going to explain what's going on here, KC?" She asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.

He looked down guiltily. He hadn't told Amy the reason that they were coming here. She was completely clueless to what his history with Clare and Alli was, she didn't know why he'd left this town, didn't know the truth about Evan. And he'd liked it that way. He liked living under the blanket of a fantasy life. He liked that nobody really knew who he was. No one knew that he was in a group home for three years, until he was almost sixteen and his ex-druggie mother came back into his life, noone knew about his breaking someone's kneecaps or stealing the car, or the coach. He felt normal. Now, he'd have to tell Amy the truth. He took her hands in his and brought her over to the steps. "This is my old hometown. The two women who just walked in here were some of my best friends in my Freshman year of highschool. I dated Clare for awhile, back then and then I broke up with her and got with this girl named Jenna Middleton. After we'd been together about six months, I found out something-_we_ found out something. Jenna had been having all kinds of symptoms and had been gaining weight. She finally bought a pregnancy test. Turns out she'd been pregnant for five months and hadn't known." He laughed bitterly and rested his elbows on his knees as he looked away from the woman that he was speaking to. "It was too late to get an abortion. It would be too risky. For both the baby and for Jenna. My life was finally going the way I wanted it to. I was a sports star and girls liked me. I had guy friends. I was pretty popular. I _hated _the idea of that being ruined. So I dumped her. I told her how she took away our choices with her stupid denial. I denied her and I denied the baby. All because I wanted to be normal. Clare, Alli, and Jenna tried to convince me to come see my son, multiple times while we were still in school. The last time anybody asked was graduation. That summer, I moved away. I moved to New York and began the journey to the life that I have now. But I got a call a few days ago. It was Clare, telling me that Jenna was dead and that my kid was basically an orphan. That's why I had to come back."

Amy didn't speak for a few minutes, and then she jumped off the step and walked away from him quickly, arms crossing defensively under her chest. She whirled around. Her eyes were on fire, but also held unshed tears. "What are you saying, KC? That you've been lying to me all this time?" She sniffled and swiped a hand under her red, runny nose.

He bowed his head down in shame. He didn't have to say anything more.

She let out a cold laugh and grabbed her purse up off of the floor. "You know, I knew that our relationship wasn't anything serious, but I atleast expected some honesty from you." With that, she stalked out the door and possibly, out of his life.

When he walked into the living room, all eyes were on him. Eli and Clare were sitting closely on their couch with Drew and Alli beside them, Adam across from in them in the big chair with Fiona in his lap, and Kyle and Cara sat in a loveseat together. The look on Kyle's face could only be described as pure hatred and disgust. It wasn't a look that KC had seen often.

"So you finally decided to stop being a coward and show your face here." Kyle snarled bitterly. "All it took was my sister dying. Did the guilt finally get to you?"

Cara reached a comforting hand over to touch his clenched fist.

"I didn't come here for a fight." KC said with a shake of his head, feeling tears sting his eyes. "I just...I'm going to try and do what's right by Evan."

Kyle stood up then, face filled with rage. "What would be best for Evan is if he had actually had a father who cared about. What would be best for Evan is his mother still being alive. What would be best for him is for you not to suddenly show up, wanting him to accept you!" His voice grew louder with each word he spoke, he didn't realise that his nephew had just come down the stairs with Alicia by his side. He also didn't know that his nephew had heard every word, or that he'd just ran out the front door...

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter: Eli, Adam, KC, and Kyle search for Evan. Talks between father and son. Reconnections and funeral arrangements.**


	4. Chapter Three: Too Late to Apologize

**Better With You Gone**

**Chapter Three**

Evan took off running as soon as he heard the words that his Uncle Kyle had spoken. He had no idea of where he planned on going, but he had to get away. He'd known that something was up with that KC guy as soon as he'd seen him. There'd been something off about him. He hadn't expected to here the words that had spilled from his uncle's mouth though. How was it even possible? He'd always figured that his father was dead, the way no one wanted to talk about him, no matter how much he tended to ask and now that his mother was dead, his "father" was suddenly in the picture. It was too much to take in all at once. He felt tears run down his cheeks as he collapsed under a tree, sobbing into his knees.

Meanwhile, Bianca Desousa was standing near a park bench, watching her goddaughter, Kristin Fitzgerald and godson, James Fitzgerald play on the playground. Alot had changed for her since highschool, but one thing that hadn't was the fact that she was still best friends with Mark, more commonly known as Fitz when they were in highschool. A little over four years ago, Fitz had been married to a woman named Annaleese Margo. Bianca was the only one who knew that the whole reason why Annaleese and Fitz had married in the first place. Annaleese had accidentally ended up pregnant with the twins and stood the chance of losing her inheritance. The inheritance that it was stated that she wouldn't receive, if she had children out of wedlock. Annaleese had disappeared a mere month after the children were born, taking the inheritance with her.

She sighed, dark eyes falling on an eleven year old boy, sitting up against a tree near the swings. Furrowing her brows, she smoothed her hands down her jeans, sticking them in the pockets and then walked over to him.

Evan looked up when he saw a shadow of a person standing over him, he wiped the tears from his eyes and then blinked wetly at the woman infront of him. "What?" He snarled rudely, green eyes on fire as he glared at her through his tears.

Bianca flipped her long black curls behind her head and took a seat beside him. "You seem upset." She said simply.

The boy seemed to wilt at her words and he stared down at his dirty, black and white Vans sneakers. "Maybe I am." He whispered.

Meanwhile, back at the Goldsworthy home, the adults had all just realised that Evan was gone.

"Did Evan tell you where he was going to go, Alicia?" Eli asked his daughter, kneeling down to her height.

Alicia shook her head, holding their pomeranian, Scarlett in her arms.

Kyle turned to face KC, his eyes on fire. "See what you've done?" He spit out angrily. "This never would've happened if you hadn't come here!"

KC's large hands began to clench into tight fists at his sides and a dark look overtook his features. He looked ready for a fight right at that moment.

"Would you two idiots just _stop _trying to prove your manliness and take into account that a distraught, eleven year old boy just ran off on his own? You need to _find _him rather than argue about who's fault it is!" Fiona Torres cried out, jumping up from the chair that she'd been sitting in with Adam.

"Fiona's right." Clare said, nodding. "We need to find him."

"Well we can't all go looking for him. He may come back." Adam answered carefully.

"Clare, Fiona, Alli, and I will wait here. You, Drew, Kyle, Eli, and KC can go look for him." Cara told them hurriedly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bianca asked the boy, whom she learned was named Evan. She watched Kristin and James carefully from the corner of her eye, making sure that they weren't going anywhere out of sight.

Evan shook his head, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. "You wouldn't understand it, anyway." He told her.

"Try me." She challenged, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Do you guys have any idea where he might've gone?" KC asked the other guys.

Kyle nodded stiffly. "There's that place that Jenna used to take him to in the park. Right under this big oak tree." He replied.

"You think he might've went there?" Eli spoke up as he looked out the window of the van that they were all currently piled in.

"If it makes him feel close to his mother, then he most likely would." Drew said as the car was parked in the parking lot of the park.

"My mom's dead and I never even got to say goodbye to her. She died while I was out of the house and when I was brought back, she was gone." He was sobbing and breathing heavily, body shuddering with sobs as his hands fisted tightly into his hair. " And now my _dad's _back and I didn't even know it until I heard my uncle yelling at him. I've never even met him before. My mom never told me much about him."

Bianca rested a comforting hand on his shoulder and was about to speak when she heard someone shouting Evan's name. She stood up when she saw a group of guys running torwards them, shock filling her face when she saw who they were.

Kyle paid her no mind and walked over to his nephew, trying to touch his shoulder.

Evan flinched at the touch and lifted his head from his knees, glaring at Kyle, KC, Eli, Adam, and Drew. "Leave me alone! I don't wanna talk to you!" He shouted hoarsely, standing up and backing up so his back was against the tree.

KC swallowed hard and walked torwards Evan. "Evan, would you _please _listen to me?" He pleaded.

Evan's fist clenched and unclenched at his sides and he shook his head wildly. "Why should I?" He bit out. "I don't even _know _you! You never cared about me and you can't just come into my life after eleven years of ignoring my existence and expect me to care about you and what you think!"

KC looked down, hurt tightening his chest. He didn't expect himself to care about what Evan thought about him so much. He hadn't even wanted a kid. "I know, and I'm sorry about that. But Evan, I'm your father. No matter how much you try to deny it. I am."

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter: KC tries to make things right with Evan, memories, new friendships.**


	5. Chapter Four: The Things I Regret

**Better With You Gone**

**Chapter Four: The Many Things I Regret**

Eli watched KC take a seat beside Evan, and then turned back around to face Drew, Adam, Kyle, and Bianca. "We should probably leave them alone for awhile. Let them sort this out."

KC watched them leave out of the corner of his eye, nodding gratefully to Eli who nodded back. He turned back to Evan. "Could you atleast let me explain?"

Evan didn't say anything, just stared straight ahead, arms wrapped around his bent legs.

KC swallowed hard as he looked at his son. The son that looked so much like him, except for the color of his hair. _That _he'd obviously inherited from Jenna. He felt pain clench at his heart at the mere thought of her. He'd loved her, in his own little way and yet he'd treated her so horribly when he'd found out about her pregnancy. Now he would never be able to make it up to her. But he could make it up to Evan. He could try to fix things. Try to make up for all those years that he'd been gone. He sucked in a deep breath and then said, "I was young and stupid, but above all-I was selfish. I didn't _want _a kid. I didn't want that type of responsibility. I guess that you could say, that I was content with the life that I had. The popularity, the girls who threw themselves at me, the feeling of being idolized because I was on the basketball and the football teams. And then I found out about your mother being pregnant with you and I was afraid of all of that being shattered. And I was horrible to her. It's something that I'll always regret. I should've been there from the very start and I can't bring back time, but I can be here for you now. We both need eachother. We're eachother's family."

Bianca crossed her arms over her chest and watched the scene with interest. She remembered well how Jenna Middleton had let out the news of her pregnancy. She remembered the doubt that everyone had had that it was KC's. Most of all, she remembered the denial. She hadn't ever hung out with Jenna. They'd been as different as night and day and had never really gotten along. She had had a fling with KC a few months later though and that had ended a few weeks later. She couldn't understand why she cared about this. She wasn't close to KC and she certainly wasn't close to the people standing around her. Perhaps this is what happened when you became an adult.

"So what are you doing here?" Adam asked, breaking the silence surrounding the five of them.

She looked up startled, meeting his curious gaze before shaking her head. "I'm babysitting Mark's kids. He's at work, so I decided to take them to the park today."

Eli's green eyes lit up in recognition. "Mark Fitzgerald?" He said in disbelief. "He actually found a woman stupid enough to procreate with him?"

Kyle, Adam, and Drew rolled their eyes in unison at how immature their friend was acting. Of course he wouldn't let the rivalry he'd had with Fitz go, even after so many years had gone by.

Bianca glared at him and was about to make a fiery retort when James and Kristin ran over to her. Her expression softened and she smiled down at the two of them, wrapping an arm around each of their tiny shoulders.

"But my mother was young too, and she had me. She didn't give me up and she had her whole life ahead of her." Evan said, now looking at his father, shakily.

KC looked down guiltily. "I know that." He murmured quietly, feeling ashamed for the mistakes that he'd long ago made.

"So that's why I don't understand your reasoning. I don't think that I could ever do what you did. And it really broke my mom's heart too. She always got so sad whenever I asked about you when I was younger. I hated having to see her cry." Evan told him, locking eyes with him as he pushed his shaggy hair away from his eyes.

The man swallowed hard. "I know that it might not seem like it, but I did love her. I guess...I just didn't know how to show it."

"Woah, wait! These two are Fitz's kids?" Adam asked in disbelief, furrowing his brow. Looking at them, he'd guess the two children were about his goddaughter's age.

Bianca rolled her eyes and scoffed at the guy's question. For being so smart, he was certainly acting pretty stupid. "That's what I said, isn't it?" She asked in annoyance.

"Sorry. It's just kind of a surprise. I never would've figured that Fitz would be one to settle down." Eli answered quickly for his best friends. "So who's their mom?"

"He's changed alot since you last saw him. He had to. As for who James and Kristin's mother is-no one that you would know. Her name was Annaleese Margo. She had gotten pregnant with Fitz's kids almost five years ago and stood the chance of losing her inheritance because of it. She married Fitz just long enough to have the kids and then she left. She's not much of a mother, unless you count her sending child support and birthday cards with cash in them. She hasn't seen them at all, since." She answered carefully, gritting her teeth at the thought of the women.

Drew and Kyle both winced at the woman's tone of voice. It was clear that there were no feelings lost torwards her goddaughter and godson's mother.

"Why we just standin' here?" James whined, stamping his foot and glaring up at the grownups that surrounded him. "I want ice cream!"

The adults laughed in relief. The little boy's outburst had broken the silent tension that had enveloped them like a blanket.

Bianca was about to reply to him, when Kyle suddenly spoke up. "Evan and KC look like they're coming torwards us now. I wonder if they worked everything out?"

**Next Chapter: Everybody heads back to the house, pictures, James, Kristin, and Alicia meet.**


	6. Chapter Five: Picture Perfect Friends

**Better With You Gone**

**AN: So, this fic should probably have a few more chapters. I already have a sequel in the works. With a fifteen year old Alicia, Kristin, and James, and a twenty two year old Evan along with a few other kids who I can't name because it would be a bit of a spoiler for the rest of this story.**

**Chapter Five: Pictures Perfect Friends**

Clare ran to the door as soon as she heard it open and enveloped Evan in a hug as soon as she saw him.

Eli laughed as he walked into his home and saw his wife pratically strangling the eleven year old with her tight hug. He arched his eyebrow and smirked devillishly. "Jeez Clare! Don't act so disappointed to see him!" He said sarcastically.

Clare pulled away and glared at her husband, as everyone filed into the foyer. She was about to reply when she spotted James and Kristin. Furrowing her brow, she looked at KC, then at Adam, then at Kyle and Drew, and finally looked at Eli. "Who are the kids?" She asked of him.

"They're my goddaughter and godson. Fitz's kids." Bianca spoke up, finally walking into the house and looking rather uncomfortable.

Seeing her confusion, Adam answered her unspoken question. "We ran into Bianca at the park when we were looking for Evan. She was talking to him."

"Oh" She drew out, still sounding very confused. Then, looking down at the two kids she said, my daughter, Alicia is up in her playroom if you want to go up there. It's the second door on the right."

The little girl's face lit up at the mere mention of a playroom and she gripped her brother's hand tightly in her own. "C'mon, Jamie! Let go!" She yelled enthusiastically, shooting up the stairs with her brother in tow.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Aunt Clare." Evan said apologetically, locking eyes with her and shaking his head. "I really shouldn't have ran away like I did."

Clare shook her head and moved in to hug him again. "Oh, Evan." She sighed sadly, "I can't exactly blame you for what you did. I'd probably have done the same in your position. Did you and KC atleast talk?"

This time, KC spoke up. "We did. I still think we have a long way to go though. I can't exactly take away all those years that I was gone."

Hearing the sadness in his voice, Clare asked, "We just ordered pizza. It should be here in a little while. Do you want to stay here and eat dinner with us?" Her attention was set on Bianca who looked a bit shocked.

"Who all exactly is here?" The dark haired woman asked suspiciously.

"Besides Me, Eli, Alicia, Drew, Adam, Kyle, KC, and Evan, there's Fiona, Alli, and Cara-Kyle's wife." Clare answered quickly.

Knowing that she was probably going to regret it, Bianca nodded her head.

00000000

Meanwhile, in the playroom, Alicia, Kristin, and James were giggling as they talked and played.

"We should play princesses next!" Kristin said excitedly to James and Alicia.

Alicia frowned a little bit and shook her little head. "But Jamesie can't be a princess. He's a boy." She replied to the other girl, looking at her new friend in confusion.

"Then he can be the prince who saves you from an evil queen!" Kristin answered quickly, grinning even more than she was before. "I can be the queen and can put you under a spell and he can save you with a kiss!"

Twin looks of disgust flitted across Alicia and James' faces. "EEEW!" They said in unison.

0000000000

Back down in the dining room, the adults plus Evan sat around the long table, looking through a thick photo album. KC laughed as he turned the page to a picture of Jenna in a hospital bed, obviously after having just given birth. Her blond hair was matted around her and she held a small bundle in a blue blanket in her arms. Obviously taken right after she'd had Evan.

The smile fell from his lips and his the brightness in his catlike eyes dimmed a bit. He slid the picture out of the book and stared at it hard, taking in the brilliant, happy smile on his ex-girlfriend's face. Her eyes sparkled and her whole face glowed as she held her young son protectively in her arms. KC was once again struck by shame and sadness. There were so many things he'd missed. So many memories that he would never even get to have because of his cowardness and his stupidity.

Chewing her lip, Alli rested her hand on her old friend's shoulder, comfortingly. She had no idea what to say to him. She wanted to be mad at him still for everything that he'd done, but she just couldn't. She knew that it wasn't something that her deceased friend would've wanted. Jenna's biggest hope, although she may not have voiced it, had been for KC to come back. For him to want to be a part of her and Evan's life. Perhaps she'd just grown up alot and that was why she wasn't trying to pick a fight with Bianca, the girl who'd been a bit of a rival for her during her sophmore year at Degrassi. Maybe her best friend was rubbing off on her, or maybe she just had a better understanding of people. Whatever it was, she welcomed it.

"You can take that picture." Clare said softly from her seat beside Eli, blue eyes locking with KC's. He looked at her gratefully and tried to give her a small smile, failing at it.

"Thanks." KC said, clearing his throat and putting the picture in his shirt pocket. He lifted a large, long fingered hand and brushed his hair away from his green eyes.

**To Be Continued...**

**Next Chapter: Dinner, Father-son bonding, news**


	7. Chapter Six: Mending a Broken Heart

**Better With You Gone**

**Chapter Six: Mending a Broken Heart**

Eli smirked as he took the pizza boxes from the delivery man and handed him the money, before shutting the door with his foot. He yelled to everyone that the pizza was ready before taking it to the dining room and sitting the three pizzas in the middle of the table. Alicia, James, and Kristin ambled in first, quickly taking seats beside one another and grabbing a slice of pepperoni pizza. He smiled at his daughter, running a hand through Alicia's thick, silky curls as everyone else came into the room, Clare taking a seat beside him.

"So, KC, when are you planning on going back to New York?" Kyle asked as he began to eat his pizza. His eyes were fixed coldly on the younger man, still not as willing to forgive him for what he'd done all of them years ago as everybody else was.'

Cara turned her head to look at her husband, shooting him a warning look.

He ignored her and turned his gaze back to KC, awaiting his answer.

KC swallowed hard, staring down at his hands. "I-I don't know, anymore. I never really had a set plan when I came here. It was all kind of sudden."

"So what? Were you just planning on leaving your kid once again, after my baby sister's funeral?" Kyle questioned, eyes narrowed and angry.

"I don't plan on leaving my son, again! I already made that mistake once, and I really regret it." The younger man told him, defensively.

The man in question snorted and shook his head. "Right." Kyle stated sarcastically. "I'm sure that you thought about your son all the time before you got the call about Jenna. Let's face it. If she hadn't have died, you'd never have come back. You'd still be living your rich, selfish, little life!"

Alicia, James, and Kristin stared at the two men, with scared expressions on their face, wondering why they were yelling at one another.

Alli looked torwards Evan, feeling anger fill her body at the sight of Evan sitting there uncomfortably, chewing his lip as he picked toppings off of his pizza listlessly. He looked about ready to cry. "Would you two _shut up?"_ She hissed harshly, glaring at the two men. "Now is not the time for another arguement! It doesn't help anything. We can't change the past, but KC can be here for Evan now."

Bianca shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling stuck in the middle of an all too private conversation. She knew next to nothing about any of this people. She hadn't been friends with any of them in highschool, yet here they were talking about the whole Jenna/KC thing infront of her. She watched as KC's eyes got a guilty look in them as he stared at his young son, almost as if he'd just realised that he was there.

Clearing her throat, Clare turned her attention to Bianca and asked, "So how have you and Fitz-Mark been since highschool?"

The dark haired woman looked at her and smiled. "Well, I managed to become a dance instructor for little kids. It's really great. Fitz works as mechanic and Kristin and James' mother isn't in the picture so most of his time is devoted to them and his job. Since he and I are best friends, I'm like their aunt. When Fitz is working, they spend most of their time with me."

The other woman gave her a sincere smile. "That's great. Alicia has always wanted to learn how to dance, but I'm afraid that it's neither mine nor Eli's forte."

Eli scoffed and rolled his eyes playfully. "Oh, come on! You know you love my moves!" He said to his wife, a smirk twisting up his lips.

Clare shook her head in amusement, reaching up to pull Eli down by the collar of his shirt and pressing a sweet, short kiss to his lips.

"God, you two are sickening!" Adam complained, a smile tugging his lips as he looked at his two best friends.

Laughter filled the dining room, easing all of the tension that had filled it before.

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The next day, KC awakened in the room that Clare and Eli had allowed him to stay in so he could have a chance to bond with his son. It was the day of Jenna's viewing and the funeral would be tomorrow. He didn't know how to prepare for this. He'd never really lost anyone significant in his life. Jenna had been a big part of his teenage years. She'd given him Evan, though he'd really had nothing to do with the boy until now. Unlike his friends or Jenna, KC hadn't a clue as to how to comfort Evan or how to bond with him. He really knew nothing about the boy. And how was he supposed to deal with a sad kid? He had no experience with having a dead parent, despite the fact that both of his parents had been in jail, before and he'd been sent to foster homes before finally being placed in a group home for troubled kids and teens. He was torn from his thoughts by a knock on the door. Furrowing his brow, he yelled curiously, "Come on in!"

The door opened and Evan stood there, standing in the doorway. A heartbreakingly pained expression was on his face as he stared at his father. He was dressed in the last outfit his mother had ever bought him. The one that she thought that he looked like such a gentleman in. "Hi." He murmured, stepping farther into the room rather hesitantly.

"Hey." KC said, forcing a smile on his face as he patted the spot next to him on the bed. "What are you doing here?" He inquired, curiously as his young son sat on the edge of the bed, bringing his legs up as he wrapped his arms around them.

Evan bit his lip and rested his chin on his knees, turning his head slightly to look at him. "I was hoping that you would tell me about what my mother was like when you were in highschool." He replied carefully.

KC stared at him in confusion. "Hasn't anyone told you about that before?" He asked of him.

Evan nodded. "Yeah, but...it's different when it comes from you. What made you fall for her in the first place? Were you in love with her? Did you think that you two would be together, forever?" He questioned, really wanting to know the answer.

KC swallowed hard and replied, "She was perky. At first, I only knew her as one of Clare's best friends, but I was still very attracted to her. There was just something so special about her. She had such a beautiful singing voice. She was happy and she was interested in what I had to say when I would talk about sports. I made mistakes though. I did something that hurt someone that she and I both cared about by getting with her right after my breakup with the other girl."

"You mean Aunt Clare?" Evan asked, locking his green eyes on his father's similar ones.

The man laughed and nodded. "I don't know if I was in love with Jenna when we first started dating, but I thought I was."

Next Chapter: More stories of the past, services and funerals, happy announcements.


	8. Chapter Seven: Painful Memories

**Better With You Gone**

**A/N: There is a flashback in this chapter. It will be in italics.**

**Chapter Six**

KC got his leather wallet out of his back pocket and opened up. He took out a folded up picture, straightening it out before he moved closer to his son. In the picture, his fifteen year old self, stood with both of his long arms wrapped around a beaming Jenna's waist. His face was buried in the gleaming blonde hair at the top of her head. It was one of the first pictures that they took when their relationship began. He looked at it, a soft smile curling up his lips as he remininced.

_"KC!" Jenna squealed as the boy in question tickled her sides. "S-stop!" She gasped out a laugh, trying to knock his hands away from her. She let out a squeak as he stopped, wrapping his arm tightly around her slender waist and pulling her that much closer he buried his head in her neck and began to press hot kisses at it. He kissed up her jaw to the shell of her ear which he bit, gently. _

_"Come on!" KC whined as he put two of his fingers under her chin and turned her face torward him. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before pulling away moments later. "We've been studying for hours. I think that we deserve a break."_

_She giggled and dropped her pencil, standing up from her seat, on her tiptoes. Her hands threaded through his hair and guided him down to her lips as she kissed him, fiercly._

_"Say cheese!" A voice suddenly cried out and a light flashed in their eyes, momentarily blinding their vision._

_KC let out a low groan and buried his head in Jenna's hair as she gasped and whirled in his arms, back pressing tightly into his chest. _

_"Chantay!" Jenna said with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head._

_The older girl smiled and held up her camera. "Come on! It's for the next issue of the Anti-Grapevine! I figured that Degrassi's newest power couple should be featured in it."_

_Jenna looked down at the ground before looking up, she looked at her friend through her lashes, shyly. "One picture." She confirmed, grinning for the camera._

"She looks so pretty and happy." Evan murmured lightly, running the tips of his fingers over his mother's young face in the picture. "The pictures that I've seen of her, before she had me are so sad. She always looked as if her heart was breaking. I never saw her smile so much in a photograph."

KC smiled. "That was one of the things that I loved her." She could just...see the best in any situation. And she was so happy just being with me. It made me feel wanted." He looked at the picture a moment longer before handing it to his son. "I think that she would want you to have this."

Evan took it into his hands delicately, gazing down at it before he held it to his heart. "Thanks." He murmured in a barely there whisper.

KC nodded slightly and then coughed uncomfortably, scratching the back of his neck. "Sooo" He drew out, clearing his throat. "Why don't you tell me a little bit about Jen-your mom?"

"What do you want to know?" Evan inquired innocently, cocking his head to the side.

His father shrugged. "Whatever you want to tell me. Just...talk about her."

A smile curved up Evan's lips as he thought of some memories. "Mom couldn't cook. Not really. I mean, she tried her best and she could make a good grilled cheese, but quite often, she'd be cooking something and would forget until the fire alarm went off. One time, we tried making a cake and we added too much salt and completely ruined it. We really had a laugh about that. And that tree that you found me at in the park...mom and I used to have picnics there, just the two of us. She called that tree our "wishing tree". She said that it would grant us whatever we wanted as long as I was good and not selfish." Whenever I was upset, she'd sing to me. She had a wonderful singing voice. I know that she wanted to be a singer when she was younger, but she didn't get to pursue that, because she had me."

"Hey" KC said in admonishement, voice firm. "Your mother loved you. You were the most important thing to her. Even more important than becoming a singer. You were the best thing in her life."

The viewing went by like a blur. There was crying and people sharing memories-memories that he wasn't a part of. And then there was having to go up to that bright red coffin-Jenna's favorite color, because it reminded her of Christmas-and having to stare down at the eerily still body of the girl that he had once loved. As hard as it was for him, he knew that it had to have been even harder for Evan.

After the viewing, Evan ran back up to his room in the Goldsworthy home and threw himself onto his big bed, sobbing into his pillows.

At twelve thirty the next day, the sky was gray and bleak. The streets damp from the rain the night before and a chill in the air. It all seemed to mesh with what the day was, making everything all the more depressing. When he saw the usually bright Clare, dressed in a long sleeved, black sweater dress and heels, it was a reminder. He'd been able to forget about what was going to happen today, last night, but now the cold reality was staring him right in the face.

**A/N: So, next chapter will be the funeral and really good news. I'll try and have it posted tomorrow. It will also be the final chapter, besides the Epilogue and then there will be the sequel with Evan, Alicia, James, Kirsten, and others, called "Baby, I'm a Fool for Love"**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Better With You Gone**

**Chapter Eight**

KC said nothing as Eli walked into the room with a solemn look on his face. Alicia was in his arms with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her small face buried in his shoulder. He felt his heart clench painfully at the site. It was obvious that even Alicia was affected by what was going on. The usually bright, sunny faced, chatterbox of a child was unusually quiet.

"We had better get going." Eli said, breaking the silence. He shifted his feet and walked over to his wife, hugging her close to him, comfortingly.

Clare nodded in agreement as Alicia unwrapped her arms from around her father and reached for her. Taking the little girl into her arms and hugging her close, she began to follow Eli out to the car. She turned slightly to look at Evan who had just walked outside. "Do you want to come with us, Evan?" She asked of him kindly, reaching a small hand over to ruffle his hair, messing up the blond locks, slightly.

Evan shook his head and said, "Actually, I think that I'm going to ride with KC, if he's okay with that."

Clare looked up, locking eyes with KC questioningly.

The man in question swallowed the lump in his throat and walked over to his son, resting one of his large hands on his shoulder. "Yeah buddy, that's fine." He said in a rough, raspy voice.

Clare's gaze softened and she leaned in to brush Evan's bangs back from his forehead, pressing a gentle kiss there. "Alright baby. As long as you're sure that you're gonna be alright.' she murmured, reaching down to squeeze his hand gently before walking back to her car and slipping inside of the blue SUV.

Evan slid into the passenger seat of his father's bright red sports car and fastened his seatbelt. It was silent for a few moments as they followed Clare, Eli, and Alicia down the road. Finally, Evan spoke up. "So, have you decided if you're gonna stay in Toronto or not?" He asked of him, looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

KC looked out at the road as he continued to drive. "I don't know yet." He admitted honestly. "I mean, I love my job. And I love New York, but being back here made me realise how much I missed it. How much I missed my friends. And I really want to be there for you, like I should've been from the beginning."

The young boy nodded in understanding as they parked outside of the church. His hands began to shake with nerves and his bottom lip trembled slightly with emotion.

KC glanced at the boy, concern filling his green eyes. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked of him, worriedly.

Evan looked at him, giving him a weak, little smile and nodding. "Yeah. I think so. This...it's just hard. I really miss my mom."

KC felt tears sting his eyes for what seemed to be the hundredth time in the past few days and ran a hand through Evan's hair, before pulling him into a hug. "I miss her too, Evan."

The funeral was long and exhausting. The crying had gotten to him and the preacher's words kept rushing through his mind. How could it possibly have been Jenna's time to die? KC didn't understand it. The girl that he'd known and loved had been so vibrant and energetic. From what Clare and his son had told him, that hadn't changed after she'd found out that she had cancer. She had still managed to paste a brilliant smile on her face and be the best mother that she could possibly be to Evan.

He took a seat, indian style by her freshly covered grave. His hands traced over the marker before going to the flowers in his lap. The white and purple lillies. They had always been her favorite type of flower. Even after all these years, he remembered that. "Hey Jenna." He said softly, pulling his coat tighter around him as he stared up at the clearing sky. "I bet you're pretty shocked to see me here after everything that happened between us twelve years ago. I'm shocked too, actually. I didn't think that I missed you this much. I thought it would be easy to just...drop in and then leave after the funeral. But it's not. I've missed this town. I've missed Clare and Alli. I've missed my life here. Even more than that, I've realised that I'm still in love with you and that I love our son. He's so wonderful, Jenna. You've raised him right. Way better than I would've."

"Do you want to be alone?" A soft voice asked him, questioningly.

KC glanced up, tears streaking down his cheeks as he stared up at Bianca. The woman in question stood with her curly, black hair straightened and in a tight ponytail. Her face held a concerned look as she gazed at him. "No. That's okay, I'm fine." He told her, trying to smile a little bit.

"So, I heard what you said to Jenna." She said casually as she sat down on the ground gracefully and wrapped her slender arms around her bent knees.

He laughed harshly, swiping at the tears under his eyes, roughly. "You probably find it pretty pathetic. Me talking to a grave like this. I mean, it's not like Jenna is here."

Bianca shrugged. "It's not really my place to decide, is it? I mean if it helps you, then it should be okay, shouldn't it?" She asked of him.

KC didn't say anything after that. Finding comfort in the silence and Bianca's prescence.

000000000000

**7 months later**

Fiona and Adam Torres smiled as they walked into the Goldsworthy living room, glancing at all their friends. They had good news. News that they were wanting to share with some of the people closest to them. A pregnant Clare saw them and grinned, walking torwards her two friends and wrapping them in a hug. "Adam, Fiona! How was your trip?"

Fiona giggled and smiled face lighting up as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "It was magnific!" She said brightly. "Anyway, Adam and I have got some good news." She said eyeing her husband as she squeezed his hand, gently.

Eli raised his eyebrow at them from his place on the floor beside Alicia, Evan, and KC. "What is it?" He asked with his signature curving upon his lips.

"Well, you know how we've been talking to the adoption agency for awhile now, right?" Adam asked, grinning.

Clare's eyes sparkled knowingly as she nodded.

"Well, they've accepted us. We're in discussion to adopt a five year old and her unborn sibling. Their mother can't care for them anymore and she wants to know that they'll be okay. We've already met with her and everything." Fiona said as she reached over to grasp Clare's hands warmly.

Her friend's face broke into a grin and she squealed happily, throwing her arms around her. "That's great!" She sang out excitedly. "You two will make great parents."

Fiona laughed and hugged her back just as tightly as Eli and KC walked over to clap their hands on Adam's back in congratulations.

"Does that mean that I'll have a new friend?" Five year old Alicia asked as she stared up at Fiona, holding onto Adam's hand tightly.

Adam grinned down at his goddaughter, kneeling down so they were at eye level. "It sure does, princess." He said as the little girl threw her arms around him.

Everything seemed to be going good in their lives, now. Clare and Eli were successful authors with a beautiful daughter and a son on the way, Fiona and Adam were growing closer and closer to their dream of starting a family, and KC and Evan were strengthening their relationship. They had no idea what would happen in the future. They were just happy to all be there for eachother.

**The End**

**A/N: There will be a possible epilogue which will show the adoption of Fiona and Adam's children and Bianca and KC growing closer. The sequel to this, "Baby, I'm a Fool for Love's first chapter will be posted sometime this week.**


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